Former undrafted free agents Jaylen Hill and Bam Bradley were feel-good stories of the 2017 preseason, making the Ravens’ initial 53-man roster before injuries derailed the start of their NFL careers.

Their time with Baltimore came to an end Tuesday with both being waived with failed physical designations, according to the NFL transaction sheet. Hill, a slot cornerback from Jacksonville State, and Bradley, an inside linebacker from Pitt, missed the entire 2018 season while recovering from ACL injuries sustained during their rookie campaign.

Hill’s strong preseason play put him on the radar two years ago as the Ravens were searching for a replacement for nickel back Tavon Young, who had suffered a torn ACL that spring. The 24-year-old Hill appeared in six games before tearing his ACL in Week 16 and began the 2018 season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from the injury. Soon after returning to practice last November, Hill suffered a hip injury that ended his season.

Even if healthy, Hill would have faced a steep climb to earn a roster spot as general manager Eric DeCosta officially signed veteran special-teams standout Justin Bethel Tuesday to add to a deep group of cornerbacks that already includes Young, Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, Anthony Averett, Maurice Canady, and Cyrus Jones.

Bradley, 24, suffered a significant knee injury in only his second NFL game and was slow to recover, spending all of last season on the PUP list. If healthy, Bradley could have been a name of interest as the Ravens move on from four-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, who signed a record $85 million contract with the New York Jets last week. Patrick Onwuasor and Kenny Young currently project as Baltimore’s starting inside linebackers with special-teams contributor Chris Board also expected to be in the mix.

At his introductory press conference last month, new Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta shared a desire to retain talented young players long before they reach free agency when the cost and risk of losing them rise.

Baltimore has apparently done that with slot cornerback Tavon Young, who tweeted Thursday he’s reached a contract extension with the organization that selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. The Ravens announced they’ll hold a Friday morning press conference with DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh, and an unnamed player expected to be the fourth-year defensive back.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the agreement is a three-year, $25.8 million contract with a max value of $29 million, which will make Young the highest-paid nickel corner in the NFL.

Extremely blessed and thankful to continue my career as a Baltimore Raven, Thanks to everyone in the @Ravens organization and teammates Let’s workkkkkkk!!

Young, 24, had one year remaining on his rookie contract and was scheduled to make just over $2 million in 2019 after reaching the proven performance escalator that’s in place for later-round draft picks. Despite missing the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Young has filled a significant role in the Ravens secondary, playing in 31 games and making 17 starts. He showed the ability to play outside as a rookie despite his diminutive size, but the presence of Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, and Jimmy Smith allowed him to remain in the slot for his third NFL season.

Teammates and coaches have often praised Young’s toughness with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale even labeling him “a pit bull” last season.

“Tavon is very aggressive. He has great ball skills. He’s a good tackler,” secondary coach Chris Hewitt said last November. “He’s having that small linebacker [role] being able to cover and be able to play against the run as well. Having a slot corner be able to cover, that’s paramount in a league where you’re facing three wide-receiver sets every time.”

The Oxon Hill native and Temple product rebounded nicely from the knee injury this past season, appearing in 15 games and collecting 37 tackles, one interception, and five pass breakups. He returned two fumbles for touchdowns in the final month of the season before missing the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with a sports hernia that required offseason surgery.

Young being a priority for an extension is a reflection of today’s NFL in which most teams use the nickel package as their base defense. Despite missing two whole games and parts of others with the sports hernia, the slot cornerback played over 58 percent of Baltimore’s defensive snaps in 2018.

With veteran quarterback Joe Flacco set to be traded to Denver next month and the 22-year-old Lamar Jackson — and his cheap rookie contract — entering his first full season as the starter, the Ravens find themselves in a better salary-cap position than they’ve enjoyed in years. Young is the first to reap the benefits of that flexibility.

“We would love to keep as much young talent as we can in Baltimore,” DeCosta said last month. “That’s hard to do at times when you have a really, really good quarterback who’s making a lot of money and you have less cap room. It’s tougher for you to keep your roster intact. It is a lot easier to do when you don’t have those parameters.”

It remains to be seen which other young players the Ravens are hoping to extend, but left tackle Ronnie Stanley and outside linebacker Matthew Judon headline the list of logical candidates who aren’t scheduled to hit the market this offseason.

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The Ravens returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but where did their players stack up across the NFL in 2018?

Whether it’s discussing the Pro Bowl or determining postseason awards, media and fans spend much time debating where players rank at each position, but few watch every player on every team extensively enough to form any type of an authoritative opinion.

Truthfully, how many times did you watch the offensive line of the Detroit Lions this season? What about the Oakland Raiders linebackers or the San Francisco 49ers cornerbacks?

That’s why I appreciate the grading efforts of Pro Football Focus while acknowledging these rankings shouldn’t be viewed as infallible or the gospel of evaluation. I can respect the exhaustive effort to grade players across the league when most of us watch only one team or one division on any kind of a consistent basis.

Below is a look at where Ravens cornerbacks ranked at their positions followed by the positional outlook going into 2019:

Brandon Carr2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 876PFF ranking: 35th among cornerbacks Skinny: The 32-year-old played and started in every game for the 11th straight year and was one of the most reliable performers on a top-ranked defense, finishing with 45 tackles and two interceptions. He also filled in effectively in the slot, making him more valuable at a $7 million salary cap figure for 2019.

Marlon Humphrey2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 718PFF ranking: 11th among cornerbacks Skinny: Humphrey emerged as one of Baltimore’s best players in his second season and appears on the cusp of becoming a Pro Bowl cornerback. Per PFF, his 52.5-percent catch rate allowed was the seventh best in the league while his 22.5-percent forced incompletion rate ranked third best.

Jimmy Smith2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 611PFF ranking: 81st among cornerbacks Skinny: Returning from a torn Achilles tendon and a four-game suspension to begin 2018, Smith struggled for much of the season before playing better down the stretch. A $15.85 million cap figure and $9.5 million salary for 2019 make it very possible the veteran has played his final game for Baltimore.

Tavon Young2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 602PFF ranking: 75th among cornerbacks Skinny: A sports hernia hindered him late in the year, but the slot corner played better than his PFF grade indicates, especially after missing the 2017 season with a knee injury. Young is entering the final year of his rookie contract and plays bigger and tougher than his 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame suggests.

Anthony Averett2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 71PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: The fourth-round rookie from Alabama missed five games with a hamstring injury, but he showed promise when he filled in for an injured Humphrey against Kansas City in Week 14. Optimism about his talent and development could make it easier to move on from Smith this offseason.

Maurice Canady2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 10PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: After emerging as a solid slot cornerback in the second half of 2017, Canady sustained a hamstring injury in the season opener and missed nine games. He returned in late November to contribute on special teams, but injuries have prevented him from consistently staying on the field.

Cyrus Jones2018 defensive snap count (including postseason): 5PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: The former Gilman standout is unlikely to fit into Baltimore’s defensive plans, but he offered a major lift as a punt returner, averaging 14.4 yards per attempt and returning one for a touchdown in Week 12. The ball security that doomed him in New England wasn’t a big issue this season.

2019 positional outlook

After enduring depth problems at cornerback for a few years, the Ravens have done a commendable job assembling a strong collection over the last couple offseasons, leaving them in solid position moving forward. Deciding what to do with Smith and his untenable cap number is the first item of business, but the veteran corner still has strong support within the organization, leaving open the possibility of working out a pay cut with incentives or even a modest short-term extension to lower his 2019 cap number. Some have speculated about Carr’s future in the same light, but his 2018 performance, superior durability, and cheaper cap number make him the better investment for the upcoming season. The Ravens have taken a cornerback with no lower than a fourth-round pick in four consecutive drafts, a streak I expect to continue if Smith is indeed released or traded in the coming weeks.

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With John Harbaugh meeting with the media on Friday after signing his new four-year contract, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:

1. Harbaugh confirmed his role hasn’t changed in terms of roster input, noting how the organization’s brass works together and has never operated with a silo mentality. The thought of Steve Bisciotti suddenly moving the goalposts as Eric DeCosta finally gets his chance as general manager never made much sense.

2. Lamar Jackson plans to throw with his receivers, but Harbaugh avoided specifics when asked if Jackson planned to work with a quarterback guru or coach before the offseason program. He does expect Jackson to work hard and “come back a better quarterback, skill-wise, than he was when he left.”

3. The possibility remains of adding an outside assistant to specialize in the passing game, but Harbaugh made clear not to shortchange Greg Roman’s knowledge in that area. One difference with his time as San Francisco’s coordinator, however, was the presence of Jim Harbaugh, who spent 15 years as an NFL quarterback.

4. Asked which position groups he’d like to improve, Harbaugh said what the Ravens “don’t want to do is take any steps back” and have to play catch-up. With tough roster decisions on the defensive side, however, they may need to give a little there to grow this offense meaningfully.

5. Any discussion about Marshal Yanda’s future should only relate to the possibility of him retiring. His $7 million salary and $10.125 million cap figure for 2019 remain more than reasonable for someone who’s still one of the best guards in football going into his 13th season.

6. Harbaugh didn’t want to entertain the possibility of C.J. Mosley departing while noting “there are limitations with the money.” Both sides are interested in a long-term deal, but at what cost? Deals for Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner are four years old, so Mosley will — and should — be aiming higher.

7. It’s only logical that Baltimore would want a backup quarterback with a similar skill set to Jackson with Harbaugh calling Robert Griffin III “a great option” and also alluding to the media speculation about Tyrod Taylor, whose current contract voids a few days after the Super Bowl.

8. Harbaugh said he expects Eric Weddle to return, but the safety backpedaling this week from his previous comments about not playing for any other team but the Ravens in 2019 leads you to believe his $6.5 million salary and $9.25 million cap figure are possible sticking points for DeCosta.

10. Jimmy Smith wasn’t mentioned during Friday’s press conference, but Harbaugh has long been a strong advocate for the veteran cornerback. Even so, he’ll be 31 in July and is scheduled to make $9.5 million with a $15.85 million cap figure. That’s not tenable with the many other areas to address.

11. The playoff loss wasn’t a big topic of conversation after the long delay with Harbaugh’s season-ending press conference, but the coach reiterated the Ravens were “outplayed” and “outcoached” before vowing next year’s offense will be “very diverse” and built “from the ground up.” It’ll definitely be interesting.

12. Asked about Joe Flacco’s value, Harbaugh said his former quarterback just needs some weapons and pass protection to be “one of the best quarterbacks in the league.” Harbaugh was being complimentary and hasn’t been the general manager, of course, but the irony of those words couldn’t have been thicker.

BALTIMORE — Playoff football returns to the Charm City for the first time in six years as the AFC North champion Ravens host the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild-card game.

It’s the first postseason appearance since 2014 for John Harbaugh’s team, but Sunday marks exactly six years to the day that the Ravens last hosted a playoff game. That 24-9 victory over Indianapolis was the final home contest for both Ray Lewis and Ed Reed as Ravens. Now, rookie Lamar Jackson becomes the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start a playoff game, continuing an improbable 6-1 run after replacing longtime starter and former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco in Week 11.

Baltimore will be without a key member of its secondary as slot cornerback Tavon Young is out after missing practices on Wednesday and Thursday and being listed as questionable on the final injury report. Young has been playing through a groin injury since November, but he didn’t appear to be moving well in a pre-game workout and talked at length with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and head athletic trainer Ron Medlin before leaving the field. His absence likely means more work in the slot for veteran cornerback Brandon Carr.

Wide receiver Chris Moore (shoulder/hip) is active and will play despite missing practice on Friday. He also went through a pre-game workout roughly an hour before the inactive list was released.

Despite practicing fully for the third straight week, guard Alex Lewis (shoulder) is inactive for the fifth consecutive game as veteran James Hurst is expected to again start at left guard. Backup running back Buck Allen is active after being a healthy scratch in the final two regular-season games.

As expected, the Chargers will be without starting nose tackle Brandon Mebane as the veteran defensive lineman continues to be with his infant daughter, who was born with a serious heart condition in November. His absence is a significant one for the Los Angeles run defense as it tries to slow Jackson and the league’s second-ranked rushing attack. Starting linebacker Jatavis Brown (ankle) was already declared out on Friday.

Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (groin) is active after being listed as questionable on the final injury report. He did not play in the Week 16 meeting between these teams, but the primary backup to Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon has collected more than 900 total yards in 14 games this season, making him someone to watch.

Sunday’s referee is Clete Blakeman, who also worked the Week 16 game in Carson, California.

According to Weather.com, the Sunday forecast in Baltimore calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 50s with winds 10 to 20 miles per hour and no chance of precipitation.

The Ravens are wearing their purple jerseys with white pants while Los Angeles dons white tops with white pants.

Sunday marks the first postseason meeting between these teams, but the Ravens hold a 7-5 advantage in the all-time regular-season series and are 3-1 against the Chargers at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore is aiming for its second win against Los Angeles in 15 days after prevailing in a 22-10 final on Dec. 22.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens should have their entire 53-man roster available for Sunday’s wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Wide receiver Chris Moore, cornerback Tavon Young, and guard Alex Lewis were all designated as questionable on the final injury report, but all should be available as Baltimore makes its first playoff appearance since the 2014 season. Young was a limited participant in Friday’s walk-through after missing workouts on Wednesday and Thursday with a groin issue that’s limited him for much of the last two months.

Moore’s status didn’t appear to be in any doubt after he practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday, but the special-teams standout was absent from Friday’s session because of a hip ailment. The third-year wide receiver left the Week 17 win over Cleveland with a shoulder injury, leaving Willie Snead and Ty Montgomery to handle kick returns in the fourth quarter.

“We’ll be fine. We have guys ready to go,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “I think Chris will be out there; I’d be surprised if he wasn’t. But, just in case, we have guys ready to roll.”

Lewis has been practicing fully for the last three weeks, but he hasn’t been active since Week 13 while dealing with a shoulder injury. Veteran James Hurst has taken his place as the starting left guard with rookie Bradley Bozeman also receiving occasional snaps there.

The Chargers’ injury picture isn’t as flattering as starting outside linebacker Jatavis Brown is officially out with an ankle injury that’s expected to sideline him for the entire postseason. Brown collected eight tackles in the Week 16 meeting with the Ravens, making his absence significant against Baltimore’s second-ranked rushing attack.

Los Angeles is also unlikely to have starting nose tackle Brandon Mebane, who was officially listed as doubtful for a non-injury reason. The 33-year-old has been away from the team this week to be with his infant daughter, who was born with a serious heart condition in November.

Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon (ankle) was a full participant in practice all week while backup running back Austin Ekeler (groin) is questionable to play after being limited all week.

It remains to be seen whether the Chargers will activate tight end Hunter Henry (knee) from injured reserve by Saturday’s 4 p.m. deadline to do so. Head coach Anthony Lynn has told reporters that Henry will be on a pitch count if he’s able to make his season debut after suffering a torn ACL during organized team activities in the spring.

According to Weather.com, the Sunday forecast in Baltimore calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 50s with winds 10 to 15 miles per hour.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A number of factors have gone into the Ravens’ first trip to the playoffs in four years, ranging from Lamar Jackson and an explosive running game to the continued dominance of one of the best defenses in the NFL.

But a season of good health might be as big a reason as any, especially after the long list of injuries that plagued Baltimore through the better part of the last three non-playoff seasons. The Ravens haven’t needed to make a 53-man roster move in over a month and just two players from the Week 1 active roster — running back Alex Collins and defensive tackle Willie Henry — are currently on injured reserve.

The Ravens finished with the sixth-most adjusted games lost in the NFL last season, but the projected starters on the offensive and defensive units for Sunday’s wild-card meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers have missed a total of just 14 games due to injury this season. Seven-time Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda was sidelined for that many alone last season.

“I think it’s been big,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “The fact that we were healthy, the healthiest we’ve been all year, credit goes to the players for how hard they work and for our strength and conditioning and performance people. What a great job they’ve done. The continuity of practice and then games and having a full roster is really important.”

Ironically, it was the hip injury to longtime quarterback Joe Flacco that forced Jackson into the starting lineup and resulted in the transformation of a pass-heavy offense into an unconventional unit that’s run the ball more than any team in the league since Week 11. A starting quarterback missing multiple games is usually a death knell for a team’s playoff hopes, but it speaks to just how unusual this season has been for the Ravens and how healthy they’ve remained at other positions to thrive through such a transition.

Cornerback Tavon Young was the only Raven to miss Wednesday’s practice for an injury-related reason as he continues to play through a groin issue that sidelined him in Week 12 and has cost him practice time for multiple weeks. Wide receiver Chris Moore (shoulder) was a full participant on Wednesday despite leaving in the fourth quarter of the Week 17 win over Cleveland.

The Chargers present a more interesting injury picture this week as tight end Hunter Henry could make his season debut after rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered last spring. Henry remains on the physically unable to perform list after returning to practice last month, but reports have indicated he will take first-team reps this week in hopes of playing.

Henry caught a combined 12 touchdowns in his first two seasons and appeared poised for a breakout 2018 before injuring his knee during organized team activities.

“We’re not quite sure where he’s at right now,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said in a conference call. “He hasn’t been on the football field since April. The expectations wouldn’t be real high to be honest with you. We’ll evaluate him at the end of the week, and we’ll see where he’s at.”

Los Angeles outside linebacker Jatavis Brown is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury in Week 17, a significant development as the Chargers try to slow Baltimore’s rushing attack. However, Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and is expected to play.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Despite listing five players as questionable for the Week 17 meeting with Cleveland, the Ravens are as healthy as they could hope to be entering their regular-season finale.

Needing a win or a Pittsburgh loss to Cincinnati to clinch its first AFC North championship since 2012, Baltimore had its entire 53-man roster on the field and participating fully in Friday’s walk-through. That included 16th-year outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who missed practices the previous two days with a hamstring issue. On Sunday, the 36-year-old will pass Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis for the most regular-season games played in franchise history, but the day could also mark his final contest as a Raven as he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

“There’s a lot of things that’s always a possibility, but you can’t really harp on the negative,” said Suggs, who reiterated he has no plans to retire after the season. “It possibly could [be my last Ravens game], but it hasn’t crossed my mind like, ‘Oh my God!’

“We have business to handle, and we’ll handle that. We’ll cross every bridge when it’s time to come there.”

This will mark the 12th time in the seven-time Pro Bowl selection’s career he’s played in all 16 regular-season games.

In addition to Suggs, wide receiver John Brown (hamstring), cornerback Tavon Young (groin), defensive back Anthony Levine (toe/ankle), and guard Alex Lewis (shoulder) were listed as questionable, but all four are expected to be healthy enough to play. Lewis, a full participant all week, would be making his return from a three-game absence, but it’s unclear whether he will be the starting left guard with veteran James Hurst and rookie Bradley Bozeman having rotated there in recent weeks.

Aiming to both ruin the Ravens’ playoff plans and clinch their first winning season in over a decade, the Browns will be without top cornerback Denzel Ward, who is out with a concussion. The rookie sensation played a significant role in Cleveland’s Week 5 overtime win over the Ravens, intercepting a Joe Flacco pass at the goal line and blocking a Justin Tucker field goal try.

Browns center JC Tretter was listed as questionable after being limited all week with an ankle injury.

According to Weather.com, the Sunday forecast in Baltimore calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-40s with winds light and variable and a 10-percent chance of precipitation.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Preparing for the chance to clinch their first AFC North championship since 2012, the Ravens are dealing with some minor ailments ahead of Sunday’s meeting with the Cleveland Browns.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and wide receiver John Brown missed Wednesday’s practice with hamstring injuries while slot cornerback Tavon Young was absent due to a lingering groin issue. Suggs spoke to the media earlier in the day while Brown was walking around the locker room without any noticeable issue, leading one to believe neither injury is a big concern.

Guard Alex Lewis was a full participant in practice after missing his third straight game with a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, the Browns’ injury list was headline by rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, who is in concussion protocol after leaving the Week 16 win over Cincinnati.

With the Ravens moving closer to a playoff berth in their 22-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:

1. Remember how we expected Patrick Onwuasor to be unseated by Kenny Young? Onwuasor has 55 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, three pass breakups, an interception, and two forced fumbles. His strip of Antonio Gates was as clutch as it gets. Not bad for a former rookie free agent from Portland State.

2. Lamar Jackson registered his lowest rushing total as a starter (39 yards) while throwing for a career-high 204 yards. How he responded immediately after the Chargers took the lead early in the third quarter was impressive. Dwell on the inconsistencies if you want, but traits are there to really like.

3. Tavon Young’s fumble return will be remembered, but Za’Darius Smith’s drive-ending sack on the previous possession was just as critical. The Chargers had possessed the ball for more than seven minutes and converted three third downs before Smith drove them out of field-goal range.

4. Mark Andrews has now registered more catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns than Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta, and Ed Dickson had as rookies combined. He isn’t fast by conventional measures, but his combination of good hands, physicality, and elusiveness has certainly worked at this level so far.

5. After a quiet game last week, Terrell Suggs didn’t fill up the stat sheet, but he registered a season-high eight pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. A more limited snap count would be ideal, but the slow development of Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams has much to do with that.

6. A total of 223 yards and three trips inside the red zone in the first half should net more than six points. Both the play-calling and execution left a lot to be desired, especially with two of those drives ending inside the 10-yard line.

7. After failing to collect an interception in seven straight games, the defense has four interceptions in the last three games. Brandon Carr’s pick on the first play from scrimmage set the tone while Marlon Humphrey’s put an exclamation point on the night. Wink Martindale insisted the interceptions would come eventually.

8. Until Gus Edwards’ 21-yard run with under two minutes to play, the Ravens had gained only 21 rushing yards on their first 10 carries of the second half. Kansas City held them to 3.6 yards per carry after the first quarter. Baltimore is going to need more through the air.

9. Running the ball on third-and-12 at your opponent’s 39 isn’t completely unheard of if you’re simply playing for a field goal, but Kenneth Dixon picking up 19 on the play is another example of how unconventional these last six games have been.

10. Speaking of weird, Willie Snead didn’t have a catch after leading the way in receptions and receiving yards the previous two weeks. In Jackson’s six starts, Snead has been Baltimore’s leading receiver three times. He had a total of one catch for eight yards in the other three contests.

11. I’m still not sure what to make of the timing of the John Harbaugh announcement or the Ravens making it without even having an extension completed, but a win over the Chargers goes a long way in defusing reaction. Of course, an upset loss to Cleveland would change perceptions dramatically.

12. Based on what I see on social media, debates about the offense’s sustainability and Jackson’s ceiling continue, but don’t forget to enjoy the journey. I don’t know where this will end or if Jackson will be Baltimore’s quarterback for the next decade, but the last six weeks have been fun.